HIGH STAKES DENIM: Flamboyance

May 28, 2018 Jill Lawrence

Mens couture from Alexander McQueen demonstrates just how flamboyant high stakes denim for men can become. Embellishment onto a simple monochrome jeans and jacket combo is cool and surprisingly masculine with delicate stitchery onto a heavy weight denim.

Dolce Gabbana below is also over embellishing and decorating his "not so classic" jeans and jackets. D&G throw the kitchen sink at their flamboyant garments even for men. They have so much embellishment that to describe it diminishes the look.

The flamboyant denim creations from Christian Dior below mixes frills with page boy studs and frayed edges and again with masses of indigo and ecru fringing plus bi shade indigo denim. Oversizing the shapes creates a substantial silhouette as a vehicle for this overstated detailing.

We have to wind up this flamboyance with the master of the trend himself - Versace. From whose atelier everything is overdone, overworked and overstated. The wearer needs a big personality.

HIGH STAKES DENIM: Sharp Tailoring | Clean Lines

May 21, 2018 Jill Lawrence

Tailored Denim is cool clean and smart. Clever cutting and shaping with little or no washing of the denim lends a casual touch to a high styled garment. Mixing street denim with a brand name.

Designers: Left: Marques Almeida | Right and centre: Alexander McQueen

Clever shaping from Marques Almeida with added studding for a harder edge when combined with a bleached out denim begs the question - is it high fashion or street denim? Here we repeat again the amazing Mcqueen's multi seam shaping and multilayered styling. He gathers in the extra fullness with such panache making the shaping of what is a tough fabric into truly glamorous tailored pieces.

Designers (from left to right): Dior, Dior close up, Carolina Herrera, Sacai

Dior uses blue denim with flare - cutting an oversized sharp blazer in a combination of indigo shades to restate the difference between this and a standard jacket. Combined with this indigo and ecru cotton fringed skirt is a real must have combo. Whilst Carolina Herrera and Sacai have concentrated on the simplicity of long line super shaped dresses.

Designers: Left: Cerutti 1881 | Right: Fendi

Raw rigid denim with red selvedge is truly the signature of couture mens denim wear. Here from Cerutti. Simple tailored suits with subtle style differences look fresh in denim with a slight lustre. Likewise, Fendi shows their flare for feminine yet strict tailoring by emphasising the style detail with bold contrast top stitching

Designers: Left: Tibi | Right: Nina Ricci

Full and light weight denims are formed into oversized pant suits from Tibi whilst Nina Ricci again demonstrates her genius for sharp tailoring and top stitching.

HIGH STAKES DENIM: True Glamour

May 14, 2018 Jill Lawrence

Glamour jeans have become recognised by their over embellishment. Anna Sui is known for her over-use of embroidery, beading and braiding on what is basically a simple denim jean or jacket.

Embroidered story telling makes this shearling trimmed denim jacket from Gucci a covetable piece. Especially when combined with a bold tweed skirt. Super youthful styling but super expensive pricing!

Versace takes his glamour and flamboyance to the extreme below. Using basic jeanswear shapes as a vehicle to elevate the idea of denim wear.

Western shirt shape with denim shorts. And Jeans topped with constructed denim top. All encrusted and embellished with beading, appliqué and embroidery within an old fashioned seaside theme.

Black denim from Versace again has been given the Western Matador treatment with studded decoration and gold thread motifs. Clearly building on a western theme both in accessories as well as decoration.